Hellobee

Papa Marbles’ parents live outside of Boston and we have been trying to visit as frequently as possible. We first visited when Little Marbles was about 3 months. We packed everything and anything we could into the car, fearing the worst case scenario. After a few trips, we’ve got a system and have worked out some travel essentials. Traveling with a baby doesn’t get easier, but having fewer things to take with you certainly helps!

Here’s are our top 10 items for a weekend visit to Little Marbles’ grandparents.

1. Tiny Love Musical Nature Stroll Toy Bar
The bar we have doesn’t play music (I think it’s the older version) but Little Marbles loves it nonetheless. We’ve had it since she was a newborn and it’s one of the most versatile items we own. It’s easy to clip onto an infant carrier/car seat, Baby Bjorn chair, as well as a stroller. It keeps her entertained in the car. Little Marbles was playing with it from a very young age. She could swat at the toys as a newborn but now at eight months, she’s able to work all the bells and whistles.

2. BABYBJÖRN Organic Comfort Carrier
Little Marbles only started enjoying the Baby Bjorn carrier recently. Prior to that, she was too small to face forward and couldn’t see, so she would struggle when we tried to put her in. Now it’s an option while we’re out and about and don’t want to be toting the stroller around, especially when we’re visiting grandparents and going on lots of local walks. When deciding on a carrier within the Baby Bjorn line, this one may look the most cumbersome and bulky, but it is actual quite comfortable because of the additional lumbar support and shoulder strap brace.

3. BABYBJÖRN BabySitter Balance
This is another item we’ve been using since we brought Little Marbles home. I love that it folds flat and is very lightweight. We take this on every trip to the grandparents’ since it gives her a place to sit out of harm’s way.

4. The First Years True Fit C670 Premier Convertible Car Seat
We picked this car seat because it was highly rated in Baby Bargains and Amazon. It was fairly easy to install and seems pretty comfortable for Little Marbles. I like that the inserts/padding are easy to remove and adjust just by pulling. I also like the little level that tells us the ideal position to tilt the car seat for maximum comfort.

5. Baby Einstein Lights and Melodies Mirror
In the car, this is our can’t-live-without item (in addition to the car seat). We love this mirror because it plays music on a timer, so if one of us can’t be in the back seat with Little Marbles, the music and lights will keep her occupied for up to an hour. The only downside is that the mirror hangs too low for us to see her face, but she’s rarely upset or fussy in the car when the music is on, so it’s not a total loss.

6. eBags Mother Lode TLS Mini 21″ Wheeled Duffel
I used to pack Little Marbles’ items (clothes, diapers, bottles) into a large plastic bin from the Container Store since it was easier to see everything, but it took up too much room in the car. I searched high and low for the perfect piece of luggage for her gear and discovered the eBags line. I liked that there were movable shelves so I could easily roll up Little Marbles’  clothes and stack them on one side of the bag, and lay other items flat on the opposite side. There’s also plenty of room and zippered pockets all around to store things like shoes, wash cloths, hair clips, socks, and other accessories. I also liked that there was a lifetime warranty for the bag, so we could exchange it for a new bag if it ever fell apart. It’s a little pricey for a baby’s travel bag, but we figured we could use it for several years. When Little Marbles’  is big enough, she can even wheel it herself.

7.  Baby Jogger 2011 City Mini Single Stroller
At the time, registering for two strollers seemed a bit excessive, but I can’t tell you the number of times it’s come in handy. I like to stress that the Stokke Xplory is our everyday stroller… the one we use for walks and for day trips. Little Marbles’ prefers the Xplory because she can face us. Papa Marbles prefers it because the handlebar height and handling in general is much more comfortable for him. BUT we also love our City Mini. It folds up easily and quickly. It pops right open and has lots of undercarriage storage. Most importantly, it’s easy for grandparents to figure out how to use. All in all, our City Mini is the perfect travel stroller.

8. Oshi Mat
I had never heard of Oshi mat before a flash sale promotion and bought it for its compact size and portability. I’m so glad we did buy it because it’s indispensable for when we’re visiting grandparents and Little Marbles wants to play on the floor. It also works well if you plan on taking your child to Mommy & Me type of classes with a lot of floor time.

9. BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light
On our first trip to Boston, we packed Little Marbles’ Alma Bloom crib, which was a big hassle. Once packed in our trunk, nothing else fit. That weekend, while in Boston, Papa Marbles and I went on the hunt for a new, true, portable crib and found that we liked the Baby Bjorn, despite initially crossing it off our list because the baby was so low to the ground. We liked the ease of set up. We also liked how it folded it up into a small and easy-to-pack carrying case that left a smaller footprint in the trunk.

10. JL Childress MaxiCOOL 4 Bottle Cooler
We’ve also had this since Little Marbles was a newborn and it’s essential for car trips to keep her milk cold. If we need to carry more bottles, we have a standard beach cooler, but this handy little bag keeps up to four 8 oz. bottles cool. We use Dr. Brown’s bottles and they all fit very well. It’s also easy to clean and fits compactly into our diaper bag.

What are some of your essential items for long car rides or long weekend trips?